HERBY LEMON BUTTERBEANS

If you have precooked beans, this is the quickest meal, and so delicious and nourishing. A perfect midweek meal when you’re short on time and low in energy. This dish with provide you with nutritional goodness and a warm hug.

Plenty of olive oil, lemon, and fresh herbs (and seasoning!) make the humble bean sing. I added herbs like I add greens, as in, lots of them, and stirred them through at the end to let them wilt slightly. I was tempted to finish with a dollop of tahini but it didn’t need it the beans were so creamy already. Finish with a sprinkle of chili if you’re that way inclined, but really, it’s a perfect meal in itself, you could add some greens on the side or fresh bread to mop if you’d like.

This serves 2 as a main and 4 as a side.

Herby Lemon Butterbeans

110g olive oil 

2 shallot, diced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

a few fresh bay leaves 

400g cooked butterbeans

about 200g water - you can use the water from the beans

1 large lemon, - zest and juice

Salt to taste

A biggish teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper - I like it a lot but you can’t tone it down if you prefer

70g chopped fresh herbs - parsley, dill, oregano

Heat a large pan on low heat, add a third of the olive oil, then the shallot, garlic, and bay leaves with a pinch of salt, and cook for 3-5 minutes until softened, but before they brown.

Add the beans, water, and black pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, add the lemon zest, juice, and the rest of the olive oil, taste for seasoning, and cook for a further couple of minutes, stir through the chopped herbs. It should be thick and almost creamy, add a splash more water if it becomes dry. When ready to serve finish good drizzle of olive oil. Eat just like this or serve with some steamed greens, and some fresh bread to mop.